Dear Dr. Stillman, I think my daughter has a pet allergy, and one of my friends told me that there are hypoallergenic breeds. Would you please tell me more about that? ó Leah L.

Dear Leah,

Thanks for the question. Keep in mind that Iím not a physician, so I can only speak on this subject from a veterinarianís point of view. That being said, your friend is correct that there are certain breeds of pets that we usually consider hypoallergenic. This mostly pertains to dogs.

Most people who are allergic to dogs are allergic to the dander, or dust-like secretions, that their hair and skin constantly release into the environment. Dogs that shed a lot produce much more dander, and conversely dogs that donít shed very much produce very little dander.

The dog breeds that donít shed at all are all related to Poodles. Itís a relatively short list consisting of Poodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, Maltese, Bichon Frise and a few lesser-known breeds such as Coton de Tulear and Bolognese. Some mixtures of these dogs such as Labradoodles or Goldendoodles may also have decreased or non-existent shedding, though this trait is highly variable from one breeder to another and even among individuals from the same litter.

Though terriers are generally not considered to be truly hypoallergenic dogs, some of the more wire-haired varieties hardly shed at all, making them easier to tolerate than other breeds. Breeds such as Soft-Coated Wheaten, Kerry Blue, Westies and Scottish Terriers all have the reputation for very low allergenicity.

Even breeds that are not on the list will be much less likely to cause a reaction in an allergic individual if they are bathed regularly and thoroughly. Bathing removes much of the accumulated dander and also the pollen, mold spores and other environmental allergens that tend to accumulate in a dogís coat and then be released into your home or onto your hands or clothes when you interact with them.

Enough about dogs. Cats are a totally different story. Almost everyone who is allergic to cats is either allergic to a certain protein they secrete from their skin or to a certain chemical in their saliva. Of course, anyone who has ever lived with a cat knows that they typically spend all day licking themselves and in doing so spread saliva all over their coat, so the net effect is the same.

Because all cats contain these chemicals in their skin and in their saliva there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat. Folks frequently ask me if hairless cats (known as Sphynx) are hypoallergenic and the answer is no. They secrete the same chemicals that all cats do, even if they have little or no hair. They are, however, much more willing to be bathed and easier to bathe than the average cat. Bathing them does greatly cut down on the allergenic chemicals on their skin.

Page 2 of 2 - Interestingly, several studies have shown that one of the most effective ways to reduce the likelihood that a male cat will trigger an allergy is to neuter him. Spaying a female cat does not have any effect on her ability to trigger allergies.

I hope this helps in your decision-making process.

Dr. Norm Stillman is a veterinarian at the Court Street Animal Hospital, located at 136 Court St. in Plymouth, Mass. He can be reached by phone at 508-747-0774 or by email at courtstreetvet@verizon.net.